Telegraph Pole c. 20th century

Paul Strand made this photograph, Telegraph Pole, sometime in the early 20th century. It’s all about seeing, right? The way the light makes the silver gelatin print seem so alive with potential, even though it's totally still. The surface has this amazing tonal range from deep blacks to shimmering greys. Look how the telegraph pole itself becomes a study in texture. You can almost feel the rough grain of the wood, see the way the light catches on one side, and falls away on the other. And then, those wires slicing across the sky, each one a precise, delicate line. It’s not just about documenting a scene; it’s about composing a feeling, a mood. This reminds me of some of Walker Evans’ photographs. Both artists had this way of elevating the everyday, of finding beauty in the seemingly mundane. It’s about making the ordinary feel extraordinary, asking us to look closer, to see the world with fresh eyes.